The Regional District of Nanaimo will not support a Rogers Communications cellphone tower in the South Wellington area.
At the regional district’s May 26 board meeting, directors approved a motion for staff to notify Industry Canada and Rogers that it doesn’t support a tower proposed for a site on 1957 Plecas Rd.
Residents had previously expressed concern as they said the proposed site was located on a slip fault and above an abandoned coal mine.
Alec McPherson, Area A director, said it was important to let the federal government know that the regional district didn’t want to take a chance.
“If the local government doesn’t say anything, it can be taken as concurrence,” said McPherson.
In a letter to the regional district dated May 11, Rogers said it “is exploring and evaluating all viable options in the area before moving forward with the most responsible location to ensure wireless service to the community.”
Rogers didn’t go into specifics when asked if it was abandoning plans for the Plecas Road site.
“Residents expressed their concerns on the Plecas Road site and provided us with sites to explore as an alternate, which we are in the process of doing,” said Andrew Garas, Rogers’ spokesman, in an e-mail.
